1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to artificial baits for fishing, specifically to baits with spinning elements mounted on a shaft and respectively baits with flexible appendages.
2. Prior Art
Artificial baits with spinning elements mounted on a shaft usually comprise a lure body equipped with a wire shaft and a propeller made of sheet metal or other rigid, non resilient materials, rotatably mounted on the shaft ahead of a thrust bead. Like any other fishing lures they have their limitations, proved to be in certain fishing conditions disadvantages: (a) the reaction blades cannot be to large without impeding the fish hooking, their inherently limited reaction surface resulting in limited efficiency, and (b) the propeller attracts fish only when spinning; when paused it is simply an inert piece of tin or other rigid material, attached to a more or less enticing prey imitation.
Baits with flexible appendages make use of materials such as soft plastic, rubber etc. for their lifelike appearance, feel and movement. Moreover, some of these materials can be impregnated with various fish attractants. The flexible appendages are attached in various ways, temporarily, interchangeably, or permanent, to a lure body or to a hook.
3. Objects and Advantages
The object of the present invention is to provide an artificial bait with spinning element mounted on a shaft where the spinning element is made of soft plastic or other resilient material, despite the high friction characteristic to such materials.
Consequently, the present invention also provides a new type of attachment for baits with flexible appendages, which enables an appendage made of resilient material to revolve about a shaft.
Accordingly, the bait provided here has several advantages over the prior art, as follows:
(a) being soft and collapsible, as opposed to rigid, the present spinning element does not impede the fish hooking and therefore can be relatively large and shaped in various ways, possibly imitating frog legs or other animal limbs.
(b) being considerably heavier than the usual tin propeller, the spinning element has more inertia, therefore goes on moving for longer when the bait is paused during a stop and go retrieve.
(c) even when comes to a stop, the spinning element still entices fish to strike trough its life-like appearance and, possibly, trough contained fish attractants.
(d) when slowly walked trough cover, as weed or lily pads, the present bait seems to naturally step over.
(e) the reaction blades of the spinning element do not only spin but also erratically flex back and forth and kick the water with a distinct plopping sound specific to soft, resilient materials.
(f) the spinning element provided here can be easily changed at any time with another one, identical or different in color, shape or size, which means that the manufacturer will also offer packages with replacements.
(g) the present type of attachment for flexible appendages enables an appendage made of resilient material, whether or not shaped as a propeller, to turn about a shaft, therefore to step over weed, lily pads etc.